


I Don't Like You (I Love You)

by RaeDMagdon



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Angst, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fingering, First Time, Fluff, Foster Care, Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Happy Ending, High School AU, Loss of Virginity, Modern AU, Oral, Parental Abuse, Sharing a Room, Sweet, The descriptions are mild, Vanilla, it's emotional abuse, one bed, ski trip, tw abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-10-28 16:46:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17791067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaeDMagdon/pseuds/RaeDMagdon
Summary: Catra and Adora used to be best friends, until Adora left their foster home to escape Shadow Weaver. After three months of fighting, they're forced to share a room together on a school ski trip.





	I Don't Like You (I Love You)

**Author's Note:**

> The Modern AU I've been promising. @_@
> 
> Please mind the tags. The characters are eighteen in this story: seniors in high school.

“This is stupid.” Catra eyed the students in front of the bus — laughing, smiling, and occasionally shoving one another — without hiding her annoyance. “I don’t get why you want to spend a whole weekend with these morons.”

Scorpia clapped a gloved claw on Catra’s shoulder. “Come on. It’s almost the end of ski season! This is the last chance we’ll get to hit the snow before it melts.”

Catra sighed. She hadn’t felt like doing much since things had gotten weird at home. Adora had been her snow buddy ever since they were kids, growing up in the same foster home. Now, things were different.

“We could still bail,” Catra said. “Stay home this weekend. Make screwdrivers and watch one of those dumb movies you like.” She tried not to let Scorpia know just how much she would’ve preferred that option.

“Drinking? Catra, we can’t. It’s illegal.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll drink, you watch the movie.”

“But what about skiing?”

Scorpia looked at her with pleading eyes, and Catra’s resolve wavered. No matter how annoying she found her new-ish friend, Scorpia had been a pretty big source of support since she and Adora had stopped speaking. “Ugh, fine.”

Scorpia wrapped Catra in a bear hug, lifting her off her feet and squeezing the air from her lungs. “We’re gonna have so much fun!”

Catra flailed until Scorpia put her down. She staggered, quickly regaining her balance and brushing off the front of her jacket. “Whatever.”

“It’ll be great,” Scorpia said. “You, me, and Entrapta, hitting the slopes, drinking warm apple cider, and staying up late to do makeovers.”

Catra rolled her eyes. She could think of several choice adjectives to describe Scorpia’s proposed plan, but ‘great’ wasn’t one of them. “Uh, I’ll take a pass on the makeover.”

The sound of laughter interrupted Catra’s train of thought. Her ears perked up, and she turned toward the sound, only to wish she hadn’t. It was Adora, wearing a light maroon jacket and black snow pants, horsing around with Glimmer and Bow. She kicked a spray of snow at them, and they retaliated by ducking behind a tree and lobbing snowballs.

Catra scowled as she watched the three of them tussle.  _ Of course Adora and her dumb new friends have to show up and make things worse. As if hearing about how she’s the star of the soccer team every damn day isn’t enough… and the season hasn’t even started. _

“Stop!” Adora yelled, laughing as a loose snowball hit her chest. “It’s getting down my collar.”

“You started — mmf!” Glimmer flinched as another snowball connected with her face. “Hey, no fair!”

Catra snickered.

“Oops, sorry!” Adora rushed toward Glimmer. “Are you all right?”

“Gee,” Scorpia said, “I hope she’s okay.”

Catra shot her a look. “Why?”

“I know Glimmer isn’t your favorite person, but getting hit in the face with snow is never fun.”

_ Not my favorite person. That’s the understatement of the year. _

The only person who got Catra’s hackles up more than Glimmer and Bow was Adora herself. Over the past three months, the bad blood between them had gotten worse. Much worse.

_ I wish I knew what those losers said to get her to leave home. To abandon me. To leave me with… her. But whatever it was, I guarantee it wasn’t a good enough reason. _

“All right, everyone,” Principal Angella said, raising her voice over the students’ chatter. Catra slouched, averting her eyes. She wasn’t fond of Eternia High’s principal, either, and not just because Angella happened to be Glimmer’s overprotective mom. She ended up in the principal’s office at least twice a week, and those visits were never good.

With some tapered muttering, the students quieted down.

“Five minutes until boarding and head count. If you need to use the restroom, do it now. It’s an hour and a half to the lodge.”

Catra rocked on her heels, shifting her backpack’s strap on her shoulder. “I’m gonna go,” she mumbled to Scorpia.

Scorpia beamed. “Sure thing, bestie!”

Catra stalked away before rolling her eyes. It was unlikely Scorpia would’ve noticed, but she tried to be the bare minimum of polite, even when Scorpia annoyed her.  _ It’s not like I have any other friends anymore, anyway. _

She relaxed as she entered Eternia High’s empty halls, soaking in the silence. Being around so many people at school was hard enough. Doing it for the whole weekend would be even rougher. She’d need to savor every moment of alone-time she could get just to survive.

Eventually, she ended up at the women’s restroom. After glancing down the hall in both directions, she flipped her backpack around front and rummaged through it. She found what she was looking for: a red permanent marker. With one last check to make sure the coast was clear, she crossed out the white, dress-wearing silhouette on the bathroom sign with a big ‘X’. Beneath it, she scrawled:  _ ‘Gender is a social construct’. _

Satisfied with her work, she stuffed the marker in her backpack and hurried into the restroom. Luckily, it was unoccupied. She took the furthest stall from the door, hanging her backpack on the hook.

“Catra?”

Catra jumped, nearly knocking her backpack onto the ground. “Who the fuck?” Her tail puffed out, and her fur stood on end.

“Calm down. It’s me.”

This time, Catra recognized the voice. She opened the stall, poking her head out to glare at the person who had interrupted her. “Hey, Adora.” She glanced around the bathroom. “Where are your groupies, huh?”

Adora stuck out her jaw, folding her arms over her chest. “I was actually hoping to talk to you in private, but obviously you aren’t ready for that.”

Catra stepped out of the stall. “Ready? What’s that supposed to mean? You’re the one who ditched me.”

“That isn’t how it went down,” Adora protested, but Catra noticed the flash of hurt in her eyes.

“Yeah, whatever. Keep telling yourself that.” Catra closed the door again, pulling down her pants and sitting determinedly on the toilet. She didn’t feel like wasting any more time than she had to dealing with her ex-best friend. If Adora wanted to talk to her, it would have to be through the stall door.

“Did you write on the gender sign outside the bathroom?”

Catra didn’t answer.

“I’m not going to tell.”

Finishing up, Catra snatched a bundle of cheap toilet paper from the roll. “Do what you want.” After flushing and pulling up her pants, she looped her backpack over one shoulder strode out of the stall, pushing past Adora on her way to the sink. She washed her hands, turning the hot water faucet as far as possible.

“You’re mad. I get it. But—”

Catra lifted her eyes, gazing at her own reflection. Adora stood behind her, wearing an expression of obvious remorse, and for a moment, Catra felt a painful tug in her chest. As usual, she shoved it down. “But, what? What could you possibly say that would make this better?”

“I just thought…”

Catra turned off the water, storming over to the hand dryer. Paper towels didn’t work great on her fur. “Just stay away from me this weekend, okay? Hang out with your new friends or whatever. Let me enjoy being out of that house without you ruining it.”

Adora opened her mouth to reply, but thought better of it. With a sigh, she turned away and headed for the door. Before she left, she shot a regretful glance over her shoulder — and Catra deliberately looked away.  _ I bet she doesn’t even really feel bad for me. She just wants me to forgive her for leaving, to alleviate her guilt. _

Still, as Adora departed and the door swung shut, Catra couldn’t help feeling strangely empty inside. She hated to admit it, but part of her missed Adora. A part she did everything she could to stifle and ignore.

***

By the time Adora arrived back in the parking lot, the bus was packed. She’d expected to find a few stragglers trying to tetris their skis into the storage space under the bus itself, but everyone was already on board. She jogged up the steps, scanning the seats until she spotted Bow and Glimmer.

“Hey!”

They waved her over, and she waited for them to scoot toward the window before squeezing in beside them. The bus seats definitely weren’t made for three, but the only other empty spot was the torn-up, empty last row, directly beside the bathroom. All the other seats were filled.

“Sorry,” Bow said, offering a sheepish smile. “We tried to save you a seat, but then Mermista sat with Frosta to avoid sitting with Seahawk, and Perfuma wanted to sit with me, but Glimmer—”

“It was like Mad Max,” Glimmer said, cutting him off. “A post-apocalyptic wasteland with everyone out for themselves.”

Adora raised an eyebrow. Although she knew Glimmer didn’t have romantic feelings for Bow, she  _ was _ overly protective of him, especially when someone showed a romantic interest. It had taken her a little while to earn Glimmer’s trust — and coming out as a lesbian had definitely helped.

“We’ll make do,” Bow said. “Besides, I brought snacks!” He reached into his backpack, withdrawing a bag of white cheddar popcorn and some M&Ms. “Who wants some?”

Glimmer grabbed the M&Ms without so much as a ‘please’, but Adora was distracted by the sound of footsteps. Loud boots slapped on the dirty mat running down the middle of the aisle as Catra made her entrance, daring anyone to put an elbow or foot in her way.

Adora stole a brief glance, then looked away. Their confrontation in the bathroom hadn’t gone as well as she’d hoped.

_ I can’t blame her for hating me. I left her all alone in that house, after I promised we’d always look out for each other… _

_ But you were looking out for her, too. Shadow Weaver was doing everything in her power to keep the two of you prisoner. To make sure neither of you went to college. To cut you off from the world. She almost ruined everything... _

Catra sauntered past, flicking her tail sharply toward Adora’s face. She sputtered, wrinkling her nose to stave off a sneeze.

“Fwhah eh heckh wasf thah?” Glimmer asked, one cheek stuffed with a few M&Ms.

Adora sighed. “Nothing.”

“Come on, Adora.” Bow put a friendly arm around her shoulder. “You can talk to us.”

Adora stared into her lap. “The same old stuff. She’s mad I left. She doesn’t care about my reasons.”

“You had to leave,” Glimmer insisted. “Shadow Weaver’s the shittiest, most abusive excuse for a foster mom I’ve ever seen.”

“Yeah.” Bow ticked on his fingers. “She took your phone, wouldn’t let you go anywhere other than school, told you never to talk to us again...”

“There were all those times she locked you in your room for no reason,” Glimmer added.

“Not to mention she hid your college acceptance letter!”

Adora sighed. That had been the catalyst for her departure. Shadow Weaver had almost ruined her chances of going to Brightmoon University and making a future for herself, but that hadn’t been the final straw. She’d hidden Catra’s letter, too, claiming she wasn’t smart enough to get accepted anywhere.

“I know,” Adora said. “I just… now Catra’s all alone there. And it’s my fault.”

“You had to get out for your own safety,” Bow said. “I know it hurts, but you can’t take care of others unless you take care of yourself first.”

“And Catra could’ve left with you,” Glimmer said. “You begged her to come with you. I mean, she’s a jerk sometimes, but I would’ve let her stay at my place ‘til next fall. Even Catra doesn’t deserve to be homeless.”

Logically, their arguments made sense, but they didn’t do anything to lighten Adora’s heavy heart. She’d grown up in that house with Catra for five years. Although they weren’t sisters, they’d become like family, in a weird way — united against the person who was supposed to take care of them, but only ended up manipulating them and putting them down in an effort to keep them close.

_ All we had was each other, until I met Glimmer and Bow. _ Adora smiled at them. “Thanks, guys. It means a lot.”

“Of course,” Glimmer said, passing the M&Ms. “We’re always here for you.”

Adora leaned back in her seat, feeling a bit more relaxed. Her situation wasn’t easy by any means, but having friends definitely helped.

“Glimmer? Bow? Adora?”

The three of them looked up, and Adora smiled. Glimmer’s mother, Principal Angella, stood in the aisle beside their seats. Although she could be overprotective — something Glimmer complained about frequently — Adora couldn’t help but like her. Not everyone was generous enough to open their home to one of their daughter’s friends on a semi-permanent basis.

“Hi, Mrs. Angella.”

“Hi, Mom,” Glimmer said, still gnawing on a few popcorn kernels.

“You shouldn’t chew those,” Angella said, a small line marring her forehead. “You’ll hurt your teeth.”

Glimmer rolled her eyes. “C’mon. Seriously?”

“And I’m sorry, but you three can’t share a seat like this. It isn’t safe.”

Adora’s smile faded.

“Wait, really?” Bow said. “Come on. I’ve got the skinniest butt in school!”

Glimmer snorted. “No, you definitely don’t.”

“Perhaps we should refrain from commenting on each other’s rear ends.” Angella scanned the rest of the bus, her eyes landing on the only remaining seat: the last row, right in front of the toilets. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the main problem. Catra was already slouched by the window, both feet propped on the next seat up.

_ Oh no, _ Adora thought.  _ She can’t expect one of us to sit there. _

“Why don’t you go over there, Adora?” Angella suggested. “I know you and Catra have had a falling out, but maybe sitting together for a few hours will help? It would be a shame for you to lose such an old friendship.”

“Mom, that’s not fair,” Glimmer protested, loud enough that several heads swerved to observe the argument.

“Yeah,” Bow said. “It’s not that simple—”

Adora heaved a sigh. Her overture in the bathroom had been rejected, but maybe if she and Catra just shared quiet space for a few hours, things might improve?  _ Probably wishful thinking. But what do I have to lose? _

“No, I’ll go. I don’t want to split the two of you up.”

“I’ll do it,” Glimmer said, with a deadly serious stare.

Bow nodded. “Me too. You shouldn’t have to go over there.”

“No, it’s okay.” Adora eyed the open bag of popcorn. “But could I take that with me?”

With a smile, Bow handed it over. “Sure thing.”

Angella nodded approvingly at the three of them. “All right. Once Adora changes seats, we’ll get on the road.”

Steeling herself for an icy greeting, Adora scooted off the seat and into the aisle. There were more stares as she walked past the other pairs of students, until she arrived at the empty seat. Catra continued staring out the window, deliberately refusing to acknowledge her presence. In fact, she adjusted the buds in her pointed ears, shoving them in further.

_ Guess that’s the best welcome I can expect. _ Adora sat in the empty seat, remaining close to the edge so their thighs wouldn’t touch. From a few seats ahead, Bow and Glimmer gave her matching thumbs-up.

The engine revved, filling the awkward silence with a low hum beneath the chatter of the other students. As the bus pulled out of the parking lot, Adora considered the bag of popcorn.  _ Catra loves this stuff. Anything with cheese, really…  _ Without comment, she tilted the bag in Catra’s direction, nudging her elbow with it.

Catra finally turned. She studied Adora suspiciously, her usual frown fixed firmly in place. Eventually, she took the bait. She pulled out a piece of popcorn with her claws and popped it into her mouth before resuming her vigil through the window.

Adora suppressed a smile. It was the closest she’d gotten to a pleasant interaction with Catra in three months.  _ Maybe this trip won’t be so bad after all. _

***

_ Warm… _

Catra snuggled closer to the heat source, seeking a more comfortable position. The warmth wrapped around her shoulders, and she purred, nuzzling further into her pillow.

_ Wait. This isn’t cotton. _

She cracked one bleary eye open. Instead of her pillow, she saw the black fabric of someone’s pants. She had curled into a ball on her half of the seat, and her head was lying in someone’s lap.

“What the fuck?!?” She scrambled back, her purr taking on a fearful, wheezing quality until it stopped completely. Her heart sank when she saw who she’d had the misfortune of falling asleep on.  _ Adora. Just perfect. Of all the people… _

Adora cleared her throat. “Um…”

“Why’d you do that?” Catra hissed, aiming an accusatory stare at her ex-friend.

Adora stuck out her chin. “I didn’t do anything. You’re the one who fell asleep on me.”

Catra’s mouth hung open. For once, she couldn’t think of a cutting response. Much as she hated to admit it, Adora was probably telling the truth. She had a tendency to doze on car rides, and before their falling out, Adora had been one of her favorite pillows. The only person Catra was comfortable accepting physical touch from, actually.

_ But that was then. This is now. _

“Should’ve woken me up,” she grumbled, pulling her feet onto the bench and wrapping her arms around her knees. She scooched as close to the window as possible, resting her cheek against it. The cold, vibrating glass wasn’t nearly as comfortable as Adora’s lap.

“I’m sorry,” Adora said. “You just seemed tired.”

“Why do you care?” Instead of waiting for an answer, Catra reached into her pocket, pulling out a pair of wireless earbuds. She popped them in, then took out her phone, scrolling through her playlist for something loud enough to drown out her thoughts.

Eventually, she settled on heavy metal. She certainly felt like screaming, anyway.

The rest of the ride crawled by. It took an effort of will for Catra not to steal glances at Adora. She wasn’t sure why she felt so compelled to look, but she only peeked once or twice. When she did, Adora made a show of shifting her eyes away. Catra’s stomach clenched, although she couldn’t put her claw on why.

After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at their destination: Whispering Woods Lodge. Catra had never been sold on the name — or the place, for that matter. It was large and fancy, if that mattered, but the decor was kind of old, and everything creaked. It reminded her too much of a haunted house.

The students started shifting around as soon as the bus stopped. “Settle down, everyone,” Angella said, in her projected principal voice. “I know you’re all eager to hit the slopes, but first, we need to get through room assignments.”

A chorus of groans followed. “Aww!”

“Seriously?”

“Come on. That was a month ago!”

Angella adopted an icy glare. “I understand your disappointment, but considering the fact that several of your classmates were caught with alcohol on our last trip, the school board decided rooms would be randomly assigned to make such incidents less likely in the future.”

Catra peeled back her lip. She wasn’t looking forward to sharing a room with some random loser, but lack of personal space wasn’t anything new. Only in the past three months had she finally learned what it was like to have a room to herself. (Not so great, as it turned out. Being alone made it surprisingly hard to fall asleep.)

She shook those thoughts away, remaining slouched in her seat as the other students grabbed their bags and formed a squished line in the aisle. Adora joined them, declining to look at Catra as she stood — and Catra told herself she was fine with that. 

One by one, the students approached the front of the bus. Angella showed them a clipboard with their room assignments, and there were alternating cheers and awkward silences. Scorpia was one of the lucky ones. “Hey! I’m with you, Entrapta.” She peered over the other students, all of whom were shorter than her, and waved at her friend. “Makeovers tonight?”

“That is an acceptable suggestion,” Entrapta said, in her usual nasal voice. “I have never experienced a night of traditional female bonding before. How exciting!”

Catra slumped further in her seat, wrapping her arms around her knees. Hopefully, she could claim tiredness and go back to her own room before Scorpia and Entrapta roped her into that mess.

“Kyle!” Bow called out. “You and me, buddy. How ‘bout it?”

Kyle — a quiet kid who annoyed Catra less than some others — peeked around his seat. “Um, r-really?”

“Yeah. We’ll have fun. Glimmer, who’d you get?”

“You’re with me, I’m afraid,” Angella said. “It wouldn’t be appropriate for any of the other students to share a room with the principal.”

Catra snickered as Glimmer whined and rolled her eyes. “Mo-o-om! What the heck? You’re so overprotective.”

“It’s only for one night,” Angella said. “I promise not to take too much time away from your friends.”

Still grumbling, Glimmer stomped out of the bus, joining the growing crowd of students outside.

Catra checked the aisle. Unfortunately, most of the other students had disembarked, so she didn’t have much of an excuse to linger. She scooted out of her seat, grabbing her bag and slinging it over one shoulder.

Unfortunately, Adora was the last remaining person in line. Catra stood several feet back, tapping her foot impatiently while Adora waited for her room assignment.

Angella checked the list. “Well, Adora, it seems you and Catra are sharing a room.”

Catra and Adora exchanged horrified looks. “What?!?”

“No way,” Catra growled.

“I, uh, don’t think that’s a good idea,” Adora said.

Catra rolled her eyes. “For once, we agree.”

Angella narrowed her eyes. “I’m not going to switch all the room assignments just because the two of you don’t always get along. The two of you are eighteen. Seniors. I expected a more mature reaction from the two of you.”

Adora hung her head, but Catra stuck her chin out in defiance. “We have issues, okay? You know the two of us had the same foster mom—”

“I know,” Angella said. “But you are also classmates, and you used to be good friends. I don’t think sharing a room for one night is too much to ask. We all have to interact with people we don’t agree with sometimes.”

“It’s not a disagreement,” Catra said. “She ditched me like yesterday’s garbage!”

“I did not,” Adora said. “I begged you to leave with me!”

“Enough,” Angella said. “You two will share your assigned room like the mature adults you are, without any arguing, fighting, or passive aggressive comments. Is that clear?”

Catra wanted to scream. Instead, she gave Angella a single, stiff nod before stomping down the stairs and outside. Scorpia and Entrapta were there to meet her, both of them beaming.

“Hey, Catra,” Scorpia said. “Who’s your bunk buddy?”

Catra scowled and didn’t answer.

“Come on. It can’t be that bad…”

Adora exited the bus, dragging her feet along the way.

Scorpia wasn’t always the brightest, but realization dawned rather quickly. “Oh.  _ Oh. _ Hey, if you want to sneak into our room in the middle of the night, you can share one of our beds or crash on the chair. I know you curl up small.”

Catra forced a thin smile. Annoying as Scorpia and Entrapta were sometimes, she did appreciate the offer. “Thanks. We’ll see.”

***

“I can’t believe you got stuck with Catra,” Bow said, clicking his boots into place on his skis. He stomped a few times to make sure they were attached, then used his poles to glide in the direction of the lift. “It’s a real bummer.”

“Yeah,” Glimmer said. She followed Bow to the ski lift, her board tucked under her arm. “Sorry, Adora. That’s even worse than me getting stuck with my mom.”

Adora sighed. She pushed herself after them, but the crisp wind blowing in her face didn’t make her feel as exhilarated as usual. It  _ was _ a bummer. Just a few months ago, she would’ve been thrilled to share a room with Catra. Now, it seemed like a nightmare.

“If I’m lucky, she’ll just ignore me. Catra’s good at the silent treatment.”

“Let’s hope so,” Bow said as the three of them joined the line for the lift. “But hey, that doesn’t have to ruin our whole day, right? We can still have fun. Best Friend Trio!” He offered his gloved fist for a bump.

Adora forced a smile. “Yeah. Best Friend Trio.” She put her fist in, and so did Glimmer.

“All right,” Glimmer said. “So, which hill are we doing first?”

“Can we warm up on a Blue?” Bow asked. “I haven’t been yet this season.”

“Aww, c’mon,” Glimmer said. “That’s boring.”

“I’m down for a Blue,” Adora said. “We can do a Black Diamond after, okay?”

“Guess I’m outvoted,” Glimmer sighed, but she didn’t seem too disappointed as they hopped on the lift bench and started climbing the mountain. “Oh wow. The view always blows me away!”

Adora took a deep breath, enjoying how the cold air made her lungs tingle. Glimmer was right. The view was incredible. Snow-capped pine trees dotted the side of the mountain, and the slope sparkled in the sunlight.

_ I wish Catra could see this… _

Adora heaved a dejected sigh, which hung before her in a cloud of silver steam. That was one of the worst parts of the past three months, since she’d left Shadow Weaver’s house to crash at Glimmer’s. She was happier than she’d ever been, but those moments always shattered when she realized Catra wasn’t there to share them.

She shoved her feelings down as they approached the top of the mountain. “Ready?” she asked Glimmer and Bow.

They both grinned at her.

“Ready!” Glimmer said.

“If I fall, you’re not allowed to laugh,” Bow said.

Adora grinned. “No promises.”

“Go!”

They leapt off the lift together, laughing, kicking up snow, and making a somewhat bigger production than necessary. They attracted a few stares from the other skiers idling nearby, but Adora didn’t care. The moment her skis hit the snow, she pushed off, speeding toward the nearest sign with a blue circle on it.

“Hey, wait up!” Bow skied alongside her, still fumbling to pull his ski glasses down.

Glimmer caught up on Bow’s other side. “Not a chance. Race you to the bottom!” She pushed off with her free foot and raced ahead on her board, leaving a tight, wavy trail behind.

Adora tucked her arms in, speeding after her.  _ No way am I going to lose. _ The wind whipped the thin strands of hair that stuck out from underneath her hat, blasting against her cheeks, but it was exhilarating. Nothing could compare to flying down a steep hill at top speed…

An orange shape sped by, sending a spray of snow at Adora’s face. She flinched and turned, but some of it inevitably got under her scarf, dripping past the collar of her coat. She wedged her skis, slowing to a stop. “Hey, watch it!”

_ “You _ watch it,” said the sprayer, coming to a stop as well. It was Catra, wearing lighter snow gear than most of the other skiers thanks to her fur. Her dark glasses reflected the sun directly into Adora’s eyes, and she squinted against the glare.

“Come on. You sprayed me on purpose.”

Catra showed the sharpened points of her teeth. “So what if I did?”

“I know you’re mad we’re stuck sharing a room, but it’s not my fault! You don’t need to punish me for it.”

Catra rolled her eyes — or, at least, that was what Adora assumed the arrogant toss of her head meant. It was hard to tell with the goggles. “I’m not punishing you because we’re stuck as roomies. You were crawling along like a grandma, so I gave you a little incentive to pick up the pace.”

Adora placed her gloved hands on her hips. “A grandma?”

“Any slower, and you would’ve needed a hearse to take you the rest of the way down.”

“That doesn’t even make  _ sense.” _

“Yeah, well… your face doesn’t make sense.”

“Argh! You know what? I’m here to have a good day with my friends. I’m not gonna let you ruin it.”

Catra snorted. “Yeah, some friends. Where are they again?”

Adora looked around, but there was no sign of Glimmer and Bow. They’d kept going without her.  _ Crap. They probably didn’t even notice I stopped.  _ “I’m just glad they don’t have to deal with someone as rude as you.”

“Rude? Pfft. This is me being nice.”

Adora waddled sideways across the snow, leaning into Catra’s space. “Oh, really?”

Catra pushed off with her free foot, gliding forward until they were nose to nose. “Yeah, really.”

“Well… let’s see how  _ you _ like it.” Anger got the better of her, and without thinking it through, Adora shoved the front of Catra’s jacket.

Catra’s blue and yellow eyes went wide, and the fur on her tail puffed out in every direction. Her arms flailed, but she failed to keep her balance. The snowboard prevented her feet from getting traction, and she toppled over, landing bottom-first in a snowdrift.

“What the shit?”

Part of Adora wanted to clasp her gloves over her mouth and squeak out an apology, but another part of her was strangely satisfied by what she’d done. Although Catra had reason to resent her, that didn’t justify  _ three months _ of boorish behavior.

“So, what? You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?”

Catra snarled. “Argh! You asked for it.” She unclipped the boot attached to her snowboard and hopped up, balling snow in her hands.

Adora backed away, but the skis put her at a disadvantage. She had to shuffle awkwardly to avoid sliding further down the hill, and when the snowball came hurling at her, she didn’t duck fast enough. It hit her hat, sending drippy clumps of snow sliding down her face.

Slowly, Adora wiped her forehead. She frowned, pulling her hat down over her ears, and to her immature delight, Catra looked slightly worried. She held up her hands, starting to back away, but Adora wasn’t mollified. She unclipped her own boots, scooping up a glove-full of snow and packing it down.

Catra turned, preparing to run, but that only gave Adora the perfect target. She reared back and threw, nailing Catra right in the middle of her back. “Ahh! Cold, cold, cold!” Catra did a strange, hopping twirl as she tried to shake the snow off, and Adora suppressed a snicker.

“You started it.”

“No,  _ you _ did.” With one last shake, Catra crouched to grab more snow, and Adora did the same.

After that, it was all-out war.

***

_ “That’s _ for walking out on me,” Catra grunted, pitching another ball at Adora’s head. She ducked around a pine tree, and the snowball splattered harmlessly against its trunk. Fortunately, she had a second snowball ready for when Adora peeked out to see if the coast was clear. Her timing was better, and she hit Adora in the shoulder. “And  _ that’s _ for ditching me for your new dumb friends!”

Adora flinched at the hit, but didn’t give up. She lobbed a snowball of her own, which Catra barely dodged. “Yeah? Well  _ that’s _ for being a dick to me for no reason when I was only trying to help you!”

_ “I’m _ the dick? You left!” Catra scampered to the side, abandoning the snowball she’d been making to avoid another hit.

“I begged you to come with me! I told you about how she hid our letters.”

“And go to  _ Glimmer’s _ house? Because she and her mom are sooo perfect — ow!” One of Adora’s snowballs hit her in the gut, and she doubled over in surprise.

“Oh no! Catra, are you okay?”

When Adora stepped out from behind the tree, brow wrinkled with concern, Catra made her move. She straightened, throwing her next snowball at Adora’s chest. It collided with a satisfying thud.

“Hey, that was my boob! Not fair.”

Catra stuck out her tongue. “Maybe your boob got in the way. And you should know I never play fair.”

“That’s it!”

Instead of throwing another snowball, Adora charged. Catra barely had time to register what was happening before Adora collided with her, tackling her to the ground. They rolled through the snow, getting several clumps in their hair and beneath their winter wear before coming to a stop. Catra laughed when she realized she was on top. Adora was sprawled on the snow beneath her, looking dizzy and more than a little dishevelled.

“Ha! I win.”

To Catra’s surprise, Adora chuckled, sending a cloud of silver breath up toward her face. “Yeah. Guess so.”

Catra blinked. “What?”

“Did that make you feel better? I think I feel better.”

“No!” Catra’s smile fell away. “I mean, what are you talking about?”

Adora gave her a pleading look. “I don’t want to be angry at you, Catra. And I don’t think you really want to be angry at me, either.”

“Yes, I do.”

Adora’s pale eyebrows knitted, and her blue eyes filled with concern. “Our friendship is everything to me, Catra. Just because I have new friends now doesn’t mean I don’t love you. And I really, really wanted you to come with me when I left. You said no.”

Catra sniffed, blinking away the sting in her eyes.  _ It’s from the cold. Has to be. _ “You’re nuts if you think I could just walk away from Shadow Weaver. She’s a crazy bitch, but she put a roof over our heads. And what if she came after me? You think dumbass Principal Angella is gonna stop her? We were supposed to stick together. Protect each other until we turned eighteen and got our own place. We were so close! We only had to stick out out a few more months.” She swallowed, valiantly ignoring the painful lump in her throat. “You know it gets worse for me when you aren’t there… and you left anyway.”

Adora sniffed, too. “Catra…” She reached up, caressing Catra’s face with a gloved hand. It was covered in flecks of snow, but Catra didn’t even notice the cold. In fact, her cheek burned. “I’m sorry.”

After that, there was no stopping the tears. They leaked from Catra’s eyes, dampening the fur of her freckled cheeks and Adora’s glove. “Yeah, well...” For once, she couldn’t think of an appropriate insult. She didn’t  _ want _ to insult Adora. All the anger she’d held onto over the past three months hadn’t made her feel any better, but looking down at Adora’s face, being close to her, just  _ talking _ to her helped. It helped a lot.

“I’m serious.” Adora brushed Catra’s tears away. “I’m sorry. Not for leaving that house, but for not trying harder to help you when you needed me.”

Catra knew what was expected of her. She should apologize, too. Her behavior the past three months certainly warranted it. Adora wasn’t the only one who could’ve tried harder. But she didn’t. Instead, she leaned down, until her mouth was a breath away from Adora’s.

“Catra?”

“Shut up, dummy.” Before she could think better of it, Catra pressed her lips to Adora’s.

Nothing happened. Catra wasn’t sure what she’d envisioned — for Adora to push her off, or maybe scream at her — but the two of them remained perfectly still, warm mouths touching in the cold. Gradually, Catra realized it was  _ nice. _ Adora’s lips were coated in fruity chapstick, and they were soft too.

Adora didn’t seem to mind the turn of events. She brought her other hand to the small of Catra’s back, as if to keep her right where she was. She closed her eyes and parted her lips, and Catra took the invitation automatically. The inside of Adora’s mouth was even hotter, and it tasted delicious.

When Adora’s tongue stroked hers, Catra jerked back. The gesture made the moment real, somehow, and she stared at Adora with wide eyes, breathing heavily.  _ Oh shit. What’ve I done? There’s no going back from this. Shit shit shit… _

Adora smiled up at her. “Your tongue is kinda raspy. It’s nice.”

Catra blinked in bewilderment. That definitely wasn’t the response she’d expected. While her jaw hung loose, Adora propped on her elbows, stretching to kiss her again.

Before their mouths could meet, Catra panicked. She leapt off Adora and scrambled to her feet, kicking up snow. “Sorry,” she mumbled as she clipped her boot to her board. “That was… I shouldn’t have…”

Adora sat up. “Catra, wait. It’s okay. I—”

Catra didn’t wait for the rest of Adora’s sentence. She pulled down her goggles and pushed off, speeding off down the mountain. The cold air dried the tear-streaks on her fur, and her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

_ What did I just do? _

***

“She  _ what?” _ Bow screeched. He stopped in his tracks on the way back to the ski lift, standing stock still in the snow.

“Yeah...” Adora blushed, rubbing sheepishly at the back of her neck.

Glimmer joined them, adopting a concerned frown. “And then she just ran away?”

“Unfortunately,” Adora said.

Bow managed to get ahold of himself. “Huh. I always wondered if you two ever had a thing.”

“We didn’t,” Adora insisted, a little too emphatically.

Glimmer’s eyes narrowed. “Uh-huh. Right.”

Adora’s face burned. It was partially true. She and Catra had never officially had ‘a thing’. But there had always been  _ something _ between them _. _ An unspoken expectation, maybe, that perhaps someday, when they moved out and got a place of their own…

“We didn’t,” she repeated. “But… there were times when I wanted to.” Her stomach flipped as she recalled certain charged moments. Sharing food. Cuddling close while watching a movie. Catra curling up at the foot of her bed every night and waking up to a ball of purring orange fur near her face.

_ And there were those times she masturbated when she thought I was asleep… and I pretended I was… but I wondered if she knew I was just pretending… wondered what she was thinking about… if maybe, she was thinking about me... _

Adora made the deliberate choice  _ not _ to ruminate on that. It hadn’t been anyone’s fault, with the limited space they’d been forced to share, but it was embarrassing. And awkward. And hot. And it didn’t help her confusion at all.

“So?” Bow nudged her gently with his elbow. “What’re you gonna do now?”

Adora bit her lip. “No idea.”

Glimmer put a reassuring hand on her back. “Okay. I don’t get along with Catra — that’s common knowledge. But  _ you _ really care about her.”

“So, you’re saying I should talk to her?”

Bow nodded. “Yeah. We want you to be happy, Adora.  _ If _ Catra starts being nice to you again, we’ll support you.”

“That’s a big if,” Glimmer muttered. “I don’t care how much you like her. If she mistreats you…”

Adora threw one arm around each of their shoulders, pulling them in close. “You guys are the best. I love you.”

There was a little bit of squirming and groaning, but all in good fun. “Aww, we love you too,” Bow said, planting a loud smooch on her cheek.

“Yep,” Glimmer added, tousling her hair from below. “Best Friend Trio forever!”

Although their reassurance didn’t completely banish Adora’s nervousness and confusion, it helped a lot. She let her shoulders sag with relief, allowing her friends to support her weight for a few moments. “Thanks. So, wanna do some more skiing?”

Glimmer ducked out from under Adora’s arm. “Don’t you wanna find Catra?”

_ I really, really do, _ Adora thought, but didn’t say. “She probably needs some space. I’ll talk to her tonight. Tell her everything’s okay.”  _ But is it, though? What happens now? What if… _

“Well, I’m up for more skiing if you want,” Bow said. “Let’s hit a Black Diamond. We did promise Glimmer.”

“Yesss!” Glimmer pumped her fist. “Quick, before my Mom shows up and asks what we’re doing.” They scrambled toward the ski lift, and Adora followed after, feeling much lighter than before. She licked her lips, remembering how Catra’s mouth had tasted. It was a flavor she wouldn’t soo forget.

_ And maybe, if I’m lucky… I’ll get to kiss her again. If she wants to. _

The afternoon passed more quickly than Adora expected. Although she didn’t see Catra anywhere, she did get to enjoy some quality time with Glimmer and Bow. There were a few tumbles, and a lot of laughs, but skiing really was the perfect activity to distract her from her worries.

Before she knew it, the sun had dipped down toward the horizon.

“Whoa,” Glimmer said, pulling her goggles up onto her forehead. “Is it really almost sunset?”

“Guess so,” Bow said. “We skipped lunch. I  _ never _ skip lunch.” Right on cue, his stomach growled. “I think my belly is saying it’s time for dinner.”

Adora nodded. Her legs were a little shaky from fatigue, now that she thought about it. “Okay. Let’s grab something.” Instead of going up the lift for one more run, they headed for the lodge, putting their skis and board on their assigned racks outside the entrance.

The inside of the lodge’s all-day buffet was already crowded. Most of the other students were there, sitting by the large, roaring fireplace with plates and bottles of non-alcoholic cider. Long tables against one wall held several different platters of food, and fortunately, the line was sparse.

“Oh man,” Bow said, licking his lips. “See ya.” He trotted over to the tables, and Glimmer hurried after him.

“Hey, wait for me!”

Adora lingered behind. She pulled off her hat and gloves, stuffing them into the ample pockets of her snow pants. Her stomach was still in knots, and she wasn’t sure she had much of an appetite. Unable to help herself, she glanced around the room.  _ Darn. No sign of Catra. _

A little disappointed, she joined Glimmer and Bow in line, picking the blandest possible options for her plate. She needed at least  _ some _ fuel after all the exercise she’d had.

A flash of orange caught her eye, and she noticed a familiar figure slinking out of the lounge. Adora’s eyes widened, and she whipped her head just in time to see a familiar fluffy tail whipping around the nearest corner.

_ Catra  _ is  _ here! Could she be going to the room? _

The thought of getting Catra alone was too tempting. For the first time in months, Adora felt hopeful about what might happen. “Uh, guys?” She hiked her thumb over her shoulder. “I’m gonna…”

Bow and Glimmer gave her understanding looks.

“Go get ‘er, tiger,” Bow said, slugging her shoulder.

Glimmer nodded. “Just don’t let her push you around or guilt trip you, okay? Leaving Shadow Weaver was  _ not _ a mistake, and I won’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Adora smiled. “I’ll be okay. I think I can do this.”

“You can,” Bow said. “Now, go!”

As Adora jogged away, her smile spread into a grin. Maybe, just maybe, she and Catra would finally be able to work things out.  _ And judging by that kiss… maybe we’ll come out of this as more than friends? _

***

“You  _ what?” _ Scorpia said, leaning over the table and almost knocking her glass of cider.

“It’s not a big deal,” Catra grumbled. She was seriously regretting her decision to open up to Scorpia, even though she’d given the bare minimum description of what had happened between her and Adora.

“Is too!” Scorpia cried. Her voice was loud enough to attract the attention of several other students, and Catra glared at her.

“Shh,” she hissed. “I don’t want everyone in a five mile radius to know.”

“Sorry,” Scorpia said, still practically bouncing in her seat. “But this is really good! You and Adora can be friends again. Or maybe girlfriends! And then I can be her friend, and make friends with Glimmer and Bow, and we can  _ all _ be friends.”

Catra slapped her forehead, dragging her hand slowly down her face. “Ugh,” she groaned into her palm. “It’s really that fucking simple to you, isn’t it?”

Scorpia tilted her head. “What’s wrong with being friends?”

Catra sighed. “Dude. She hurt me. A lot.”

Scorpia’s smile faltered. “I know. But Shadow Weaver almost ruined both your futures. She acted like she wanted to keep you prisoner. And Adora did ask you to leave with her. You made the choice to stay.”

Catra stared down at her lap. Scorpia had a point. She  _ had _ chosen to stay, for reasons that made less and less sense.  _ Why do I feel loyal to Shadow Weaver anyway? She was a shit foster parent. She insulted and belittled me every chance she got, and showered Adora with praise. I deserve better. _

“I…” She sighed. “Maybe I was afraid that, if I left, nothing would change. Adora would still get all the praise, and I’d still be a dumb loser, just like Shadow Weaver always says.”

Scorpia’s eyes grew watery and big. “Catra, you are  _ not _ a loser. You got an academic scholarship to Brightmoon U.! One you wouldn’t have known about if Adora hadn’t told you, by the way.”

Catra snorted, tossing her mane. “I know. I’m the smartest, coolest person in this entire town without even trying.”

“You betcha,” Scorpia said. “And I know Adora said you could go to Glimmer’s, but if you want to crash at my house instead, you can. I want to help.”

“Really?” Catra raised an eyebrow. 

Scorpia nodded enthusiastically. “Sure thing! What are friends for?”

Catra hesitated. “I’ll… uh, I’ll think about it.”

That seemed to satisfy Scorpia for the moment. “So, what are you gonna do about Adora?”

Catra opened her mouth, but couldn’t come up with an answer. She had no idea what to do about Adora, but she knew she had to do  _ something _ . “Guess I can’t just pretend the kiss never happened, huh?” she said softly.

“Nope.”

Catra’s ears drooped. “Fuck.”

Scorpia’s eyes widened a little at the swearing, but she didn’t say anything.

“Guess I should talk to her. Ignoring her and bitching at her these past few months hasn’t done much to make me feel better anyway.”

Scorpia smiled. “I think that’s a good idea.” Something attracted her attention, and she leaned sideways, gazing over Catra’s shoulder. “Don’t look!” she said, gripping Catra’s forearm.

Catra rolled her eyes. “You can’t tell me not to look and expect me to listen.” She turned, only to see Adora entering the lodge with Glimmer and Bow.

“I told you,” Scorpia said, claws still digging in.

Catra shook her arm free. “Shit.” She hopped out of her seat, nearly toppling it in her hurry. “Later.” She sped out of the lounge and headed for the nearest hallway without looking back.

In less than a minute, she arrived at the elevator. She hopped on, hitting the number five and the ‘door close’ button just in case. Fortunately, no one else got on as she climbed to the fifth floor. She rocked from heel to clawtips the entire time, half expecting the elevator to open and Adora to appear.

When she dug out her keycard and entered the hotel room, she found it empty. With a sigh of relief, she unstrapped her boots and stripped off her snow clothes, kicking them into a pile. She was just changing into a fresh tee shirt and hoodie when a knock sounded on the door.

“Catra? Can I come in?”

It was Adora.

Catra swallowed. “It’s your room, too.”

The door opened, and Adora peeked in. “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“I saw you come up.”

Catra folded her arms, waiting expectantly.

“I thought we should talk about… you know.”

For once, Catra didn’t employ a sarcastic comment. “Probably.” She sat on the edge of the bed, and Adora entered the room, kicking off her boots and pulling down her snow pants to reveal the leggings underneath. After that, she sat on the mattress as well, although she kept a foot of space between their thighs.

“I’m not upset you kissed me,” Adora said. “I… I liked it. A lot.”

Catra’s face burned. Her heart started racing, and she kind of hated how dizzy she felt. It wasn’t like her at all. If she was being totally honest with herself, she was  _ scared, _ and there was nothing she hated more than that feeling. “I don’t know why I did it,” she mumbled, looking anywhere but at Adora’s face.

Slowly, Adora reached out to touch her arm. Catra bristled, but didn’t jerk away. “Actually, I’ve wanted to kiss you for a while.”

Catra forced her eyes up. “Even though I’ve been treating you like shit the past few months?”

Adora nodded. “I know you’re not naturally mean, Catra. You were hurting.”

“Yeah,” Catra sighed. “I guess I wanted you to feel as awful as I did. Sorry.” Though she was nervous at first, saying it out loud felt surprisingly good.

“Me too.” Adora hesitated, glancing away. “Wanna know the reason I left? The real reason.”

Catra narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“After the recruiter called and I found the letters, I waited for Shadow Weaver to get home. And I had time to think. I remembered all the times she called you stupid. All the times she said you were lucky, because without her, you wouldn’t amount to anything.” Adora took a deep breath. “I remembered all the times she belittled your accomplishments, and I realized I couldn’t watch her call you dumb or worthless one more time.”

Catra chewed the inside of her cheek. “Don’t turn it around. You left for yourself, too.”

“Yeah, I did. But sometimes, there’s a point where you just can’t watch an abuser hurt someone you love anymore. Every day, I hoped you’d change your mind. I thought maybe by leaving, it would show you that you could make it without Shadow Weaver, too. But you stayed. I should’ve tried harder to convince you.”

Catra’s shoulders slumped. “No. You did try. I made the choice to stay.” She sniffed, fighting the impulse to wipe her eyes. “Guess part of me drank the KoolAid and believed I wouldn’t make it.”

“You can and you will,” Adora insisted. “I don’t doubt that for a second.” She offered her hand, and Catra took it, squeezing tighter than she intended. It felt good to hold Adora’s hand again. It made her feel stronger.

_ Come on, Catra. Who are you going to listen to? The foster mom who insults you every day, or the person who always supports you? _

The answer was obvious, and this time, Catra was ready to acknowledge it. “I know I gotta leave,” she said, trying to add some strength to her voice. “Can’t let Shadow Weaver ruin my last free summer before college.”

Adora’s face brightened. “Really? You’re gonna go?”

“To Brightmoon U.? Yeah. To Glimmer’s place? No fucking way. I’ll stay with Scorpia. She offered.”

Adora continued beaming. “You can go wherever you want, and do whatever you want, Catra. That’s all I want for you.”

Catra’s cheeks heated up, and she nodded.

“So, friends again?” Adora asked.

“Maybe.”

An adorable crease formed in Adora’s brow. “Maybe?”

Catra licked her lips. She had to admit, hashing things out had made her feel a lot better. So much better that thoughts of Shadow Weaver were fading, and more recent memories took their place. Memories of kissing Adora in the snow, and how warm her mouth had been. “That depends on you.”

Adora blinked. “Huh?”

For the first time in a long time, Catra smirked at Adora without any malice. “Goddamn, you’re stupid sometimes.” She put her hand on Adora’s knee, cupping her other palm behind Adora’s neck and bringing their lips together.

***

Adora groaned as soon as their lips touched. She’d been expecting the kiss from Catra’s signals, but it still sent a jolt straight through her chest. Her heart went into overdrive, and her head started spinning.

_ We’re kissing. Actually kissing. _

She put one of her hands on Catra’s hip, not grabbing, but resting it there lightly for more contact. She trembled, but gathered enough courage and coordination to push her tongue forward, sweeping it against Catra’s bottom lip.

To her delight, Catra’s mouth opened. Adora felt another jolt, stronger this time. She scooted as close to Catra as possible, closing the remaining distance between them. The heat of Catra’s body bled through their clothes, making her feel extra warm inside and out.

A low rumbling sound caught Adora’s attention, and she reluctantly broke the kiss to laugh, although she kept their noses close.

“What?” Catra asked, with mild annoyance.

“You’re purring. I didn’t know you could purr and kiss at the same time.”

“What? I don’t kiss with my vocal chords, dummy.” Catra offered a small, embarrassed grin, but the noise didn’t stop. She tilted her head and parted her lips, waiting expectantly.

Adora leaned in again. She liked the vibration she felt when their mouths met, and Catra’s lips were incredibly soft and sweet. It tasted like she’d been chewing spearmint gum,  which wasn’t exactly a surprise. She almost always had a pack in her pocket.

_ It’s really nice, kissing someone I know so well. _ Although kissing Catra felt new and exciting, it also felt surprisingly comfortable and safe. Like coming home. They’d been each other’s home for so long that this was a natural progression.  _ It’s like we both knew this would happen. We were just waiting for the right moment. _

They kissed for a long time, until Adora’s lips felt puffy and a bit swollen, and they were both short of breath. Before she could pull away for air, the sharp points of Catra’s teeth dug into her bottom lip. It was a light nip, but the tiny spark of pain sent a shiver down Adora’s spine.

“Ahh…”

It was an embarrassing noise, one she almost wished she could take back, but Catra seemed to like it. Her purring grew louder, and her smirk got wider. “Not bad, huh?” she asked, planting another closed-mouth kiss on the corner of Adora’s lips.

Adora swallowed. “I wouldn’t know. That was my first kiss.”

Catra tilted her head. “Seriously? You didn’t kiss anyone during our falling-out?”

Adora shook her head no. “I didn’t feel like it. And, uh… I guess deep down, I wasn’t ready to let go of you.”

Catra’s eyes darted downward. “Yeah, well… I haven’t kissed anyone else since I was like fourteen.”

Adora laughed. “What?”

“I told you about that! That kid Bobby from soccer. His friend bet me ten bucks I wouldn’t.”

“We got ice cream with that ten bucks,” Adora chuckled.

“Hey, if my first kiss couldn’t be with you, at least I leveraged it into taking you on a date.”

Adora cracked up. She dropped her head onto Catra’s shoulder, eyes watering. Soon, her laughter spread and Catra gave a choked snort. They flopped on their backs, cuddling on top of the comforter until their giggles died down.

Once they did, silence fell. Adora licked her kiss-swollen lips, butterflies stirring in her stomach. A small voice whispered in her head, a voice that wanted more.  _ You have this whole hotel room to yourselves tonight. If Catra wanted to, the two of you could… _

Before she could gather enough courage to ask, Catra had the same idea. She rolled on top of Adora, straddling her hips and tugging hopefully at the hem of her shirt. “So… do you really need this on?”

Adora took a shaky breath. Kissing was one thing, but sex? That was a really large step for one day.  _ Still, it’s not like you haven’t been thinking about it constantly for the past three years. It’s not like you haven’t touched yourself in the shower imagining what it might be like… _

Greediness and excitement got the better of her. She stripped off her shirt, tossing it somewhere on the floor. Catra’s different-colored eyes widened in appreciation. “Whoa. Nice abs. I’ve seen ‘em before, but… damn.”

Adora grinned. “Yeah?” She flexed deliberately, making her stomach muscles stand out. Apparently, playing soccer all the time was good for more than a potential scholarship.

“Don’t get too cocky.” Catra wiggled out of the grey hoodie she was wearing, taking her shirt with it. When they came away, Adora forgot how to breathe.

“Oh wow…”

Catra wasn’t wearing anything underneath. No undershirt. No bra. Nothing but smooth orange flesh covered in fine, downy fur. Her breasts were shaped like soft teardrops, dusky brown nipples peaked against the cool air.

Adora stared in awe until Catra got impatient. She took one of Adora’s limp hands, placing it on her belly and guiding it up. “Hurry up already,” she said, flashing her gleaming teeth. “I know you want to.”

“W-what makes you say that?” Adora stammered. She didn’t drop her hand, even when Catra let go. It remained beneath Catra’s right breast, trembling slightly.

“‘Cuz you’re shaking right now,” Catra pointed out. “Your face looks like a tomato. Also, you used to stare at them all the time. Almost as much as you stare at my ass.”

Adora’s mouth opened and closed soundlessly. She didn’t have a response for that — it was all true. But she wasn’t going to let Catra get the best of her, either. She  _ wanted  _ this. Had wanted it for a long, long time. She sat up and unhooked her bra, sliding it off before wrapping an arm around Catra’s waist.

They kissed again, although Adora wasn’t sure who started it. Their mouths went through a warm, silky give and take as their bare torsos came together for the first time. Adora’s breath hitched as Catra’s breasts brushed hers. She cupped one of them, testing its weight. It was soft, yielding, but also delightfully firm, and she loved the way the peak hardened in her palm.

“Soft,” she mumbled against Catra’s lips, massaging a little harder.

Catra’s tell-tale rumble started up again, and she arched, pressing further into Adora’s hand. “Mm…”

Adora’s heart soared. This was better than she’d imagined. So much better. Slowly, attempting to savor the moment, she broke away from Catra’s lips and kissed down her neck. The fur was incredibly fine, and it felt good under her mouth, if a little ticklish.  _ Hmm. I could learn to like this… _

Catra hissed, digging sharp clawpoints into the side of Adora’s bicep. Her purring grew louder, thrumming faster.

_ Okay. I  _ really _ like this. _

She paused at Catra’s pulse point, sucking gently, and was rewarded with a surprised, but undeniably pleased sigh. “Hmm… s’good…”

“Yeah?” Adora plucked the bud of Catra’s nipple, twisting it gently between her thumb and forefinger. “You like this?”

Catra shivered. “Mmhmm…” Her claws dug deeper into Adora’s arm, but she didn’t mind the slight discomfort. In fact, she appreciated feeling the proof of Catra’s enjoyment. She kissed further, past Catra’s collarbone, and wasn’t surprised when Catra took back a little control by grabbing her hair. “Fuck,” she muttered, pulling Adora to the breast she’d been teasing. “Mouth. Please?”

Adora grinned. It wasn’t often she got Catra to say ‘please’. She took a deep breath to steel herself and wrapped her lips around Catra’s nipple.

The moment she rolled her tongue over it, Catra went rigid in her arms, shivering from head to toe. “Oh shit,” she panted, claws flexing in Adora’s hair. “Warm…”

Adora would’ve continued grinning if her mouth hadn’t been busy. She went slow at first, only applying a little suction, but excitement got the better of her. She sucked eagerly at the pebbled point, pinching lightly with the edges of her teeth. She also cupped Catra’s left breast, making sure to graze the stiffened tip to make up for her mouth’s lack of attention there.

“Uhnn…” Catra’s tail lashed from side to side, and she wiggled in Adora’s lap. It took Adora a moment to realize why. Catra was grinding on her stomach, rubbing deliberately against her abdomen.

_ Oh. Oh wow. She’s… she’s really doing that, huh? _

Adora pulled away with a slippery pop. “Seriously? Are you about to come just from this?”

“Shut up,” Catra grunted, still purring loudly. She guided Adora’s mouth to her other breast and resumed rubbing, raking her claws gently through Adora’s mussed hair.

_Well, if this is what she wants…_ _I think I can make it better._

Instead of playing with Catra’s other breast, Adora slid her palm down Catra’s stomach. Although the muscles there weren’t as firm as her own, they were definitely present, and they flexed when she touched them.

“Hff…” Catra’s hips jerked out of rhythm, and she spread her thighs wider.

Adora took the invitation immediately. She slid her hand past Catra’s waistband and into her underwear, fumbling until she found what she was looking for: hot, slippery velvet beneath a fluffy nest of fur.

Her eyes rolled back in her head as her fingertips slid through Catra’s slickness. She’d imagined this more times than she could count: stroking Catra, making her wet, making her come. With a low growl of impatience, she pulled Catra’s pants and underwear down so she could have full access.

Catra maneuvered her hips to help, but as soon as her clothes were off, she grabbed Adora’s hand and brought it back between her legs. “More,” she demanded, bucking into Adora’s waiting hand.

Adora watched in awe. Feeling Catra was incredible, but seeing what she was touching was even better. Catra’s inner folds were shiny and slick, a light brown color with a distinct reddish tinge. Her outer lips were puffy, blossoming open, and the bundle of her clit poked out from beneath its hood.

“Don’t just stare,” Catra pleaded. “I need you.”

Adora snapped out of her haze. She couldn’t resist the half-begging, half-demanding note in Catra’s voice.  _ Catra… I’ve waited so long to hear you say that.  _ She peeled Catra’s outer lips apart, coating her fingers with more clear fluid and circling the bud of Catra’s clit.

Catra made an adorable squeak. Her stomach muscles twitched, and her thighs started shaking. “Oh fuck, oh fuck…” She pumped her hips, and Adora pressed harder, rolling the stiff bud more firmly.  _ “Fuckfuckfuck!” _

Adora’s own breathing sped up. She trembled with excitement and anticipation, completely wrapped up in what she was doing. Every detail was incredible: the way Catra’s body moved, the way she felt, the way she smelled. It was a subtle scent from so far away, but Adora’s nose picked it up, and she enjoyed it so much it made her mouth water.

_ I hope I get to taste her too… _

While she spared a moment to imagine what that might be like, Catra shifted, repositioning until Adora’s fingertips were lined up with her entrance. “Inside,” she panted, with a demanding push of her hips. “Need you… inside…”

Adora’s eyes widened. “You sure?” She moved back to Catra’s clit, giving it a few quick rolls and enjoying the way Catra’s face contorted.

Catra huffed, wiggling back to the previous position. “Fuck, yes, I’m sure. Fucking fuck me already.”

Adora stifled a laugh. “Really romantic, Catra.”

“Ugh. You’re so annoying sometimes.” Catra ignored her and sank down, making a mewling sound as Adora’s fingers started to stretch her entrance. “C’mon. Please?”

Adora couldn’t bear to tease anymore. She slid a single finger inside, amazed at how quickly Catra’s muscles sucked it in. They were strong and incredibly tight, and they shivered around her as they adjusted.

“Yessssss,” Catra drawled, dropping her chin to her chest. She made a stirring motion with her hips, bringing her clit in contact with the heel of Adora’s hand. “Mm… yes… Adora…”

Hearing Catra moan her name spurred Adora to greater efforts. She moved inside Catra, stroking in search of a reaction. It wasn’t long before she found one. When she pressed against Catra’s front wall, Catra threw her head back and wailed. Her eyes rolled, and her tail stuck straight out.

Adora stopped immediately. She froze, unsure what to do, until Catra’s hips started churning. “No, don’t stop,  _ don’tstopdon’tstop!” _

She pressed the same spot, and Catra made the same loud noise. This time, Adora was proud of herself. Now that she knew it wasn’t a sound of pain, it made her feel like her heart was too big for her chest. She bent down, drawing Catra’s nipple back in her mouth, and started a gentle pumping motion with her fingers.

Catra shook wildly. The wailing grew louder, and she barely let Adora withdraw before slamming down in search of fullness again. She was so slippery that Adora had to add another finger, and when she did, Catra’s yowls rose an entire octave. “Ahh… mmn… fff…  _ Adora!” _

Adora swirled her tongue and curled her fingers, sometimes together, sometimes alternating them. The more she did, the more Catra wiggled and clenched, and the louder she got. Finally, Catra’s muscles locked, and she broke rhythm, shaking all over.  _ “Oh shit.”  _ Her face screwed up, and her inner walls gripped down, pulsing heavily.

“That’s it,” Adora muttered into the top of her breast, biting down gently. So far, it seemed Catra  _ really _ liked biting. “I want you to come.”

Catra yowled again, and a slippery surge of heat spilled out around Adora’s knuckles. It filled her palm, running all the way down her wrist, and Catra’s clit throbbed against the heel of her hand. Adora nearly burst with pride. She felt so light she thought she might float to the ceiling. 

_ I made Catra come. I did that. She came for me. _

***

Catra’s release hit her like a freight train. It barreled right over her before she was ready, and once she started coming, she couldn’t stop. She fluttered around Adora’s fingers, trying to push them out and pull them deeper at the same time, until something inside her burst.

For a moment, she felt a spike of fear, but Adora was with her through it all, sucking the tip of her breast between warm whispers.  _ “That’s it... I’ve got you... I’ve got you, Catra…” _

Tears welled in Catra’s eyes, but she didn’t have the wherewithal to worry about them. Emotions she’d kept bottled up for years poured out as she shuddered through her peak, but releasing them felt  _ good. _ It was the most powerful sense of relief she’d felt in years.

“Adora,” she mewled, too overwhelmed to be embarrassed by her own voice. She scratched the back of Adora’s neck, and Adora hissed a little around her nipple. The slight pass of cool air drew out Catra’s aftershocks, and she rubbed her clit on the heel of Adora’s hand a few more times, inner walls still shivering.

Finally, the contractions tapered off. She heaved a giant sigh and slumped forward, trusting Adora to hold her up. She wasn’t disappointed. Adora wrapped an arm around her, keeping her fingers buried. Catra was grateful for that. She didn’t want Adora to pull out yet.

“Was that… good?” Adora asked, sounding slightly nervous.

Catra made a rasping chuckle. “No,” she huffed. “It was terrible.” Adora glared at her, and Catra’s face broke in a grin. “Okay, okay. It was amazing. I’ve never come so hard before, even when touching myself. Happy now?”

Adora preened, puffing out her chest. “Yes.”

Catra swiped her tongue over her fangs, and her eyes glinted with mischief. “Well, you’re about to be a lot happier.” She pinned Adora’s back to the bed, tail wagging side to side. “Pants off.”

Adora obediently lifted her hips. Eagerly, Catra pulled down her pants, taking the underwear with them. She noted with more than a little satisfaction that Adora’s panties had a huge, dark stain in the middle. Adora shuddered, pressing her thighs together and squirming on top of the mattress.

“You ready for this?” Catra asked, just to be sure.

“Oh, definitely. Just cold.”

“I can help with that.”

Having been granted permission, Catra began a forceful, thorough descent down Adora’s body. She dragged her tongue along Adora’s collarbone, tasting sweat and skin, delighting in the low moan she earned. 

“Mm… your tongue…”

Catra nipped Adora’s pulse point, digging her teeth in hard enough to leave a small bruise, but not to break skin. She growled against her prize, but that only made Adora giggle.

“Hhhhaaa... tickles!”

“Hmm.” Catra spent a little more time nibbling and sucking Adora’s neck before shifting lower. She scattered kisses across Adora’s chest, admiring the pectoral muscles there and the scattering of freckles on her fair skin. When she finally reached Adora’s breasts, she licked and kissed around the puckered tips without actually touching them.

“Not fair!” Adora grabbed her mane and pulled, trying to direct her mouth. “Please?”

Catra deliberately didn’t give Adora what she wanted until she stopped pulling and went still. The pout on her face was absolutely adorable, but it did make Catra feel the teensiest bit sorry for her. “Working on it,” she said, drawing Adora’s nipple into her mouth.

Adora arched and exhaled loudly. Her fingers tightened again, and she tried to push more of her breast into Catra’s mouth. Catra allowed her to direct a little, but kept the movement of her tongue and the pressure of her lips slow and light. She didn’t want to give Adora everything quite yet.

“Oh jeez,” Adora whimpered, bunching the comforter in her free hand.

“Pfft.” Catra threaded the fingers of her right hand through Adora’s left, pinning it to the bed. “Just swear like a normal person.” She kissed over to Adora’s other breast, sucking harder and lashing faster once she latched on.

Adora cried out. “Ahh! Feels… rough…? Mm, good…” Her hips pushed up, rubbing against Catra’s stomach, and Catra didn’t miss the streak of wetness Adora left behind on her belly. She could already smell it, and she wanted more, up close and personal.

It was torture to tear herself away from Adora’s breasts, especially since they were so sensitive and fun to play with, but she managed by thinking about all the other parts of Adora’s body she wanted to touch. She lingered on Adora’s stomach, kissing circles around her navel and darting her tongue inside once. That earned a squeal, and she smirked up at Adora, extremely pleased with herself.

“You’re a tease,” Adora panted. A light coat of sweat had sprouted on her skin, and it gave every inch of her a beautiful golden glow.

For a moment, Catra’s heart hurt.  _ She’s so beautiful. How did I get this lucky? Why was I so stubborn for so long? _

Instead of voicing those thoughts, she draped Adora’s knees over her shoulders. “Am not.” Without an ounce of hesitation, she buried her nose in Adora’s wiry blonde curls, inhaling briefly before dragging her tongue through soft, dripping wetness.

“Catraaahh!”

Adora’s hips bucked once, but then she stopped, as if she was too overwhelmed to figure out how to move. Catra took that as a positive sign.  _ Nice. I can work with overwhelmed. _ She swiped her tongue between Adora’s outer lips again and again, until they parted for her and more wetness flowed over her mouth and chin.

It didn’t take her long to find Adora’s clit. The poor pink bud was so swollen it looked about ready to pop. Catra breathed over it, waiting for Adora to moan her name again before pulling it into her mouth.

“Fuck!”

If she hadn’t been busy sucking, Catra would’ve laughed. It wasn’t often she got Adora to swear. She swirled her tongue over and around Adora’s clit, going harder when Adora’s pelvis tilted in search of more, and backing off when Adora made a slightly pained noise. “Little too much.”

Catra let go, placing a kiss on the twitching tip. “Hmm. How about this?” She widened her mouth, sucking the hood and the spongy, sensitive flesh all around.

That seemed to work. Adora clutched her mane and started rocking, grinding shamelessly against her face.

Catra moaned in satisfaction. Adora tasted amazing. She couldn’t compare it to any flavor she’d tried before — salty and heavy, she supposed — but she quickly grew to love it. Surely part of it was because it was  _ Adora’s _ taste, but that only made her crave more.  _ I’m the first one who’s done this for her. This is all mine. _ She nuzzled further into Adora’s heat, lapping up every bit of slickness she could find.

“Aah! C—Catra…”

Catra flicked her gaze up. Adora’s lashes fluttered, like she wanted to screw her eyes shut, but somehow, she kept them open. Watching. Committing the moment to memory.

_ Good. I don’t want either of us to ever forget this. _

She sucked Adora’s clit back in her mouth, more gently this time, and retracted her claws, bringing one finger underneath her chin.

Adora lifted her hips, granting permission. “Uhhhnn… inside… Catra…”

Catra swirled the tip of her finger around Adora’s opening, relishing the way it clenched. She didn’t even have to push inside to coax another rush of wetness from deep within. She took her time, making sure her fingers were nice and slick.

The noise Adora made when she pushed inside shook Catra to her core. The raw cry tugged every one of her heartstrings, and she gasped as Adora squeezed around her. “Tight,” she murmured, unable to keep herself from offering praise as she kissed Adora’s clit. “So fucking tight.”

Adora was beyond words. She arched and shifted, trying to establish a rhythm, and Catra was too impatient to deny her. Sliding in and out of Adora felt right. She had an unshakable feeling that this was what she was supposed to be doing, and this was the woman she was meant to do it with.

“One more?” she asked, trying not to sound like she was begging. She drew back from Adora’s sticky lips and nipped one of her thighs, enjoying the way the muscles flinched beneath Adora’s smooth skin.  _ God. Her legs are amazing. Later, I want those around my face. _

Adora swallowed and nodded. “Mmhmm… more…”

Catra added a second finger, searching for the same sensitive spot Adora had found in her earlier. She knew when she hit it, because Adora jack-knifed on the bed and threw her head back, sending a fresh wave of wetness into Catra’s hand.

“There, huh?” She probed again, admiring the way Adora’s sweaty skin rolled over her muscles. “Yep. That’s your spot.”

Adora couldn’t reply with words. She was a mess of moans and sighs. She squirmed and wiggled, and Catra picked up a series of short, fast thrusts that hit exactly the right spot. It swelled against her fingers, throbbing with fullness.

“Oh… ohhh… too much… I’m gonna come…”

“So?” Catra curled harder, until the tendons in her wrist burned. “Want you to.” She buried her face back between Adora’s lovely thighs, sucking her clit again. She pulled hard, refusing to let go, and hooked her fingers.

_ Come on. Give it to me. _

After one more thrust, Adora did. She made a choked whine, and all her tension melted as she flopped back onto the mattress. Shudders racked her body, and Catra moaned as more wetness spilled into her mouth, splashing against her chin in a river of warm salt. She licked up every drop she could get. It was  _ Adora’s _ come, and that made her desperately hungry for it. 

“Catra…”

Adora remained on her back, panting heavily. She kept coming, alternating between stroking Catra’s head and clutching the fur there to ground herself. Catra learned how to predict the contractions, because Adora always squeezed tighter. She kept going, determined to keep Adora coming as long as possible.

“St—stuh… stop... Can’t… come anymore.”

Reluctantly, Catra pulled away. She kept her fingers still, but didn’t pull out. “Aww. I was really starting to have fun.”

Adora sighed through a wide grin. “Oh yeah? Sounds like an understatement.”

Catra licked her lips. “Maybe.”

Without removing her cupped hand, she scooted up along Adora’s body, flopping on top of her and kissing her forehead. To her delight, Adora grabbed her chin and drew her in for a proper kiss. Catra moaned when Adora’s tongue swept into her mouth, sharing the flavor there.

“Shit, that’s hot.”

Adora snickered. “Is that why you’re purring?”

Catra scowled. “Really? Again?”

Adora’s giggles grew louder. “You like me. You  _ really _ like me.”

“I more than like you, doofus. But that doesn’t mean you can make fun of me.” Pouting a little, Catra buried her face in Adora’s neck. To her dismay, the purring didn’t stop. She couldn’t help it. She was happy down to her bones, for the first time in… well, she couldn’t remember.

“I’m not making fun.” Adora’s palm rubbed soothing circles on her back. “It’s cute.”

Catra huffed against Adora’s neck. “Ex- _ cuse _ you, Miss Perfect. I’m not cute. I’m hot and rebellious.  _ You’re _ cute.”

“Yes, you are,” Adora cooed, dragging her nails down Catra’s back. She started a steady scratching motion, and something about the spot she chose made Catra’s tailfur fluff up. 

“Ohhh, that’s nice.” She smushed herself further on top of Adora, wiggling to get comfortable. “Mm. Keep doing that.”

“Seriously?” Adora scratched harder, and Catra continued purring without shame.

“Mmm. Yep. That’s the spot.”

“One of many,” Adora quipped.

Catra gave her a chastising nip on the neck, but made sure it wasn’t too hard. “Well, we have this room for the whole night. You can find them all.”

With a surge of strength, Adora flipped them over, pinning Catra beneath her. “That a challenge?”

Catra smirked. “You bet, princess.”

Adora kissed her, hard and deep. Apparently, she was up for said challenge, and more.


End file.
